1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of electronic musical instruments, and more particularly to electric guitars.
Description of the Prior Art
An electric guitar has been well known in the art for many years. It is a standard and indispensable instrument for rock and jazz musicians. The electric guitar has also been increasingly used in the realm of classical music. However, the conventional electric guitar has a number of shortcomings that make it less than adequate in the performance of classical music.
One problem is the limited range of notes that can feasibly be played on the guitar. Prior art guitars do not have the range of, for example, a violin which is needed to perform many classical pieces. Guitar makers have attempted to extend the range of a guitar in a variety of ways. One attempt involved making a guitar with added frets on the neck of the guitar in order to reach higher notes. Another was the addition of a seventh string to the standard six-string guitar. These normally involved the addition of a lower B string so that the guitar could be used to play jazz music. Prior art attempts to add a "top A" were not workable because this added string was so thin and fragile that it broke very easily. These previous 7-string guitars were also made hollow so as to produce a "clean" sound. These earlier examples of 7-string guitars were not made with a vibrato because, being made for jazz, they had no need for a "rock tool", which the vibrato is.
A second problem was that the higher notes would be played with very little "sustain" in its sound. This was so whether the string was played very high up on a fret or, in the case of a seventh string, the string was so thin, and had so little mass that the sound became lifeless. A sustained sound is important if the guitar is to be able to play many of the classical pieces that are now played by violins. Of course, the violin has no such problem because it has a bow which, when slid against a string, provides an excellent sustained sound.
This inventor has previously attempted to devise a workable seven string guitar. The previous attempt proved to be unworkable. The following table compares the inventor's previous attempt and the present invention:
______________________________________ Previous Seven String Guitar Present Seven String Guitar ______________________________________ 1. Reverse headstock 1. Non-reverse headstock 2. Standard non-staggered 2. Staggered headmachines headmachines 3. No shim between neck and 3. Shim between neck and body body 4. 25 inch scale length 4. 251/2 inch scale length 5. Standard tapering Stratocaster 5. Pronounced tapering of neck neck 6. Front mounted bridge 6. Top mounted bridge ______________________________________
The accumulation of the improvements made over the previous attempt results in a workable and very playable seven string instrument.
This invention constitutes an improvement on the vintage Fender Stratocaster Guitar. The description of the invention utilizes the vintage Stratocaster as a point of reference. There are two comprehensive publications on the Fender Stratocaster Guitar: "The Fender Stratocaster" by A. R. Duchossior published by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation (1988); and "Fender Stratocaster" published by Guitar Magazine (November, 1987). These two publications are incorporated by reference into this application and copies of each are attached as Exhibits I and II, respectively.